Nalo hadn’t expected much from potion making class. He’d been crafting potions as far back as he could remember, alongside various tutors and nannies. He thought himself quite good at it, although it had never really held his interests much. But it was a requirement and his parents were very big on the whole “going back to your roots and knowing the finer details.” And he didn't mind working on the basics really -- it was always good to remain nimble with potion making, lest one forget the hundreds of potion recipes out there. But there was something about the professor that made him particularly wary. Especially today, as he gave each student a sly smile as they entered.

Something’s not right… Nalo thought to himself. But before he could think any further, the professor spoke:

Okay so today on the board we have one of my favorite potions: the Hiccuping Solution…

Hiccuping Solution? That childish potion? Nalo hadn’t brewed it since he was six and hadn’t had an interest in it since. What kind of lesson was thi--

“Hic!” He shocked himself as he jumped. Oh no, no, no…

Students around him erupted in crescendos of hiccups, some loud, some small, some so powerful they sent students jumping out of their seats. Each burst from the people around him sent Nalo on edge and he clenched the end of the desk in front of him as he tried to get ahold of himself.

Now, one of the things that you’ll find useful as you progress in your potions career, especially those of you taking your STOATs this year, is being able to work under pressure…

Under pressure? This was torture. The last time he’d had hiccup was when he was six, conveniently when he’d brewed the Hiccuping Solution for the first time. He’d drank nearly the whole thing before his tutor realized. His parents could have brewed him up a Basic Reversal Solution but they were very big on the whole “learning from your mistakes and finding out the solution on your own.”

He’d hiccuped for a week straight before figuring it out.

Go ahead and get started in groups of two. Raise your hand if you need me!

Nalo tensed even further at the thought of having to work with anyone in order to figure this out. He didn’t need anyone’s help -- he could remember the Basic Reversal Solution perfectly, yes perfectly. He doubted he’d ever forget. As he listed the ingredients off in his head, scrambling to get his cauldron to a boil, he couldn’t help but feel as though he was missing something--

“Do you think if we Hick! make the potion like cHick!en noodle soup, it'll have any effect?"

Nalo snapped his head to the person next to him. She looked right of the page of some Muggle teen fashion magazine, Halloween edition, Tanes had brought over two years ago, complete with badly dyed hair and an unnecessarily elaborate skirt.

“What Hick! are you even saying?” He did not need some like that helping him right now. “That doesn’t Hick! make any Hick! sense!”

Stella was in a particularly good mood this morning, since the day before she had received a package from her parents. Her mother had sent her a few miscellaneous things that Stella had forgotten... more

“What Hick! are you even saying? That doesn’t Hick! make any Hick! sense!” Stella stifled a giggle behind her hiccups and finally put all of her available ingredients next to her book, she turned... more